Don't Let Go-A Lui Tribute
by Auroriaz
Summary: A one-shot tribute to the still soundless Vocaloid Lui Hibiki, and what it feels like to be voiceless, and a voiceless Vocaloid at that. Some darker themes (some self-harming). Hinted Oliver/Lui (or it can be seen as friendship), since there's no fics with this pairing that I know of. (I'm late with this idea, but so are all my ideas!)


**Once again, having technical difficulties. Well, here's my latest "project". Since Lui Hibiki still does not have a voice...a little oneshot inspired by that. Also, due to my odd pairings, a little Oliver/Lui, or they are just friends (if you'd prefer it). This was supposed to be a one-shot, but I'm thinking about continuing it; if anyone supports that idea, please do let me know how you feel! Sorry about portraying Len as a bully if anyone was offended for some reason.**

**NOTE:**

**I might have mentioned this in the past, but I have no spell-checker or grammar checker rather; sometimes when I write, I'll space out, and a word that shouldn't be in a sentence will show up magically, so so sorry for any errors. I guess this will apply to all my fics and future fics as well. The checker on this site doesn't catch grammar mistakes unfortunately (it doesn't seem to work for me rather). Sorry about that, I kind of obsess over grammar and spelling. **

**I tried to correct a few however.**

Don't Let Go

Everyone has a voice. Though it is our choices when to use it and what we say. We are in control of how we present ourselves to the world. Some of us are loud and outspoken, which aren't always bad traits. But some of these types are reckless, and often speak without a thought. Then...there are the quieter types, the ones who are too shy and scared to speak out. They often are drowned out by the loud voices of others, often walked on and overlooked. But there are those who pick their words carefully, and are wise to only speak when they have something they feel is important to say. There is a saying that goes something like this: "Wise men talk because they have something to say, fools talk because they have to say something." That may not always be necessarily true, but it has some truth in it.

And then, there is a smaller fraction of people who cannot physically speak at all. While that is a challenge, many have overcome it, and have used different ways to communicate with the rest of the world, through things like sign-language and expressing themselves through the arts.  
But, there is one whose own situation is quite unique. He might be the only one experiencing it. His name is Hibiki Lui, and he is an unreleased Vocaloid 3.  
He has yet to be given a voice of his own, he cannot sing nor speak. The only voice he hears is the voice that was put into his mind. It says a wide variety of things, yet there is no one to hear them. He cannot laugh, cry, shout, nothing. He can expression himself only through facial expressions and sign language, though he often resorts to writing his words out, thus wasting a lot of paper. He would have rather used a dry-erase board...  
But what makes his situation different from other voiceless people is that he is a Vocaloid, created to sing. He is surrounded by many others, his peers. The one thing they have that he lacks...a voice of his own. Ever since the day he was created, he has been dreaming for a chance to be heard by others. To speak his mind, and fight back against the ridicule he's been faced with. He longs to open his mouth, and hear something other than silence. It pulls at his heart sometimes...he can't even cry, though tears have been shed no doubt. His sister was voiceless for a while as well, but she soon joined the ranks of the other Vocaloids, and left him in the dark. Though she still visits him from time to time. He has to stay at his place of creation. He is not allowed to go and stay with any of the others. It often feels as though he is trapped, like a frog at the bottom of a well. There must be so much to experience out there...some wonderful, others not so. But it did not matter to Lui. He wanted to experience more than this stuffy building, and the four walls of his room.  
Felt like a prison cell it did.  
There was so little he did not know, seeing as he did not get out hardly ever. It still puzzled him that people could be so cruel for what seemed like no reason at all, or tear someone apart because of their outer shell. He couldn't help it! He was designed like that. One thing that had really begun to irk him was the comparisons to his fellow "shota", as he had been recently labeled, Kagamine Len. They honestly didn't seem that similar, though he rarely saw anyone except his sister and Master. Though...there was one other...  
Besides his sister, he had no friends. No one to talk to as he had no voice, no one to even listen to. How does one make a friend without communication? It seemed impossible. Ring was only there for him because she was his sister...otherwise, she probably would not give him the time of day...  
Alas, this one other-friend dare he say?-was hardly seen. He was an Engloid, and lived far away. He still remember the day when he had been unveiled...

*Flashback*

"Oh, are those the new Vocaloids?" A girl with long red hair that looked like a robot asked.  
"Another girl? Master likes the girls WAY too much!" A blue haired boy stated.  
"Two at that! Though the blondish one is kinda cute..." A blonde girl with a giant white bow in her hair said, jumping up and down in excitement.  
"What crazy designs! Who designed these two?" A tall brown haired girl dressed in a short red outfit commented.  
"That kid's shorts are way too short!" A green haired girl with red goggles on his head said pointedly.  
"The blue-haired one looks like you Miku!" The blonde girl piped up again. The blue hair girl beside her shook her head wordlessly.  
"What happened to originality? My god, that kid looks like Len." Another blonde female declared.  
"That's just what we need. ANOTHER shota..." A pink haired female sighed.

His head was still spinning as the comments reached his ears. He was new to the world after all. It was quite daunting to be in front of such a large crowd for his unveiling. He and his sister Ring had only had the night to rest up before they were introduced to the other Vocaloids. Such a large audience...there were so many of them, of all shapes, sizes, designs, you name it.  
"D-d-do they l-l-like us Ring-ne?" If he could have talked, that is what he would have said. She seemed to understand what he was trying to convey.  
"I-I-I don't know Lui. I-it sounds like a mixed reception to me." The blue-haired female replied in uncertainty. He had thought they would have been more friendly than this...what did they do wrong?  
They stood there dumbly, not sure what to do. Lui saw his sister glanced at Master, who was next to her.  
He cleared his throat as he spoke.  
"That will be quite enough everyone! There will be no hating, these two have much to learn, and are new to the world. I won't have any of this!"  
He said firmly. Everyone immediately simmered down hearing his voice.  
"I brought you here to meet them, not criticize them. What kind of a welcome is that? I'm very disappointed in you..."  
"So sorry Master-san!" The blue-haired girl with long pigtails, apparently called "Miku" said, bowing in front of the man.  
Some of the others rolled their eyes at this display. Others murmured their agreements.  
"Now, off with you all. I will have my hands full with these two for a while. Return to your homes, except for you lot." He said, motioning to a few of them.  
As everyone broke up, Lui watched as a group of them emerged from the crowds. One was tall with dark blue hair, and a long white and blue coat. Another looked like a samurai, with long purple hair, clad in traditional attire. He was the tallest of them all. Another was plainer looking, a brunet with a formal suit and dark blue tie. He had a book tucked under his arm, and adjusted his glasses as he walked by. Shortly trailing after him was probably the most unusual of the four. He had a weapon just like the purple haired male, but was dressed in...pink of all colors? He had a black hat on, and was dressed in pink from head to toe. I guess there were those designed even more oddly than himself...  
Lastly, four younger males headed in that direction, they looked around his age, but not before the blond one known as "Len" threw a glare in Lui's direction. Huh? But what did he do? Did he look at him wrong without knowing it somehow?  
"Guess we'll have some competition now Len." A silver haired boy that looked like a robot said, walking alongside him.  
"Huh. We'll see about that. His voice, whenever he gets it, cannot possibly be better than mine. He'll never have as many fans as we do."  
They laughed a little to themselves as they walked after the older males. Lui looked at his feet, feeling awkward. Were they all this nasty? Was it just him? Or did others get the same treatment when they were created?

"Don't mind them...they acted like that with me and Ryuto too." Two boys, one of them another blond, were standing in front of him.  
Lui jumped back a little in surprise. Would they act the same?  
"Oh sorry...I forgot you don't have a voice yet. I'm sure it'll sound great! Don't let those comments get you down, not everyone is that rude. Len's afraid of losing his place as "head shota"...ha, as if. Ollie here was compared to him as well when he first came out. And that Miku is the most popular of us all, she's such a kiss-up to Master!" Lui examined the other boys. The shorter of the two, "Ryuto", was clad in green from head to toe, he looked no older than...five?  
The other had golden blond hair, and part of his face was covered with white bandages, as well as other parts of his body. His one golden eye gazed at him brightly. His outfit was pretty odd as well, he looked like a little sailor. One other thing that made him stand apart from the others was that he had a little black and yellow bird perched on his giant hat.  
"Oh, I'm Oliver, the little green guy here is Ryuto." The blond said sheepishly. Lui nodded slowly.  
"I'm not that little! I only look like a little kid!" Said boy retorted.  
"Anyways, to add to what Ryu said, don't let a few bad experiences get you down! Not everyone acts the same, the world would be pretty one-dimensional otherwise! Chin up!" The blond said cheerfully, resting a hand on Lui's shoulder.  
Realizing that Lui was staring, he shifted a little awkwardly before responding.  
"I was designed like this, no worries! It's ok..." He trailed off.

Things were silent for a minute.  
Two voices called after them. They turned around. The brunet haired male and pink-clad guy were calling after Ryuto and Oliver.  
"Sorry to interrupt, but Master needs you two now. We can't begin until we're all together." The guy with glasses stated. The pink guy messed with his weapon which hung on his belt. He was faced away from them.  
"Sorry Lui. We have to go. See you around though!" Ryuto said chipperly, pulling on Oliver to follow the other males. Oliver turned back to say one last thing.  
"Things WILL get better. I know it. Give this world a chance." He said seriously before letting himself be lead away.  
"Lui? Master has rooms ready for us. He says that we'll be staying here temporarily until further notice. Let's get some rest." Ring said gently, leading him away. He hadn't even noticed that she had slipped away...  
Lui took one last look at the retreating males before being lead away...

*End Flashback*

Those words...Oliver's unmistakeable accent...That memory was always being replayed in his mind, like an old movie. It seemed such a long time ago...  
Lui stared at the clock on his wall. He never really was one to pay attention to time, every day was the same after all. He was getting sick of repitition...somedays it felt like he would lose his mind. He longed to have the freedom the others had. Though they were all bound to Master, as they were all his creations, they certaintly had more freedom than Lui knew...  
He had only seen Oliver a few times since he was created last year...and Ryuto even less often. Was it because he could not make it out there to visit him? Was he that busy? Maybe he just didn't care anymore...perhaps he was hanging out with Len and that other kid, whose name he found out was Piko, and his voice had come from a singer of the same name...at least his sister still seemed to care...but it had been a while since her last visit. What was she up to nowadays? He often checked the internet to see what things his fellow Vocaloids had done, she had done a few projects of her own...

Even if he could not sing, he wanted so much to have sound, to scream out once in a while to relief himself of his pain. He was absolutely sure no one else would understand what it was like for him. But...still. He tried to count the few blessings he had. Sure, it felt like he was a prisoner sometimes, but at least, they did not starve him. Though he often wondered if they had forgotten all about him, since his meals were often late...  
But another thought had often occured to him. Maybe he would never get a voice? Maybe having access to the internet was meant to torchure him? Seeing what all his peers were doing, how successful they are were, though many of them had small fanbases. Did Lui eve have one fan? How could he? He had no voice, no personality really. He could not express himself much, what was there to express anyways?  
If he did never get a voice...what use would he be? To anyone?  
Just an empty shell really. A more horrifying thought had occasionally crossed his mind when he was trying to sleep at night of all times.  
Maybe they had plans to scrap him, and make another Lui Hibiki? Maybe he was a test, an experiment, a failure? That is why it had been so long since he was given a voice. He had heard of some Vocaloids that would be deleted, like that Galaco girl, but were saved because they were loved. Something he did not know of. Did his sister love him? Maybe she had to...that was how she was designed right? They were designed together after all...

Well...if that was true, why wait? What were they waiting for? If he would indeed be disposed of, why not get it over with? He had no reason to exist really. Vocaloids were created to sing, but what good are they if they have no voice? Questions like that were constantly running through his mind. Like a broken record, the words never changed, like song lyrics that were burned in his memory. Didn't that inner voice have anything nice to say? Anything hopeful?  
Or was it telling the truth? Most likely.  
But he missed having someone to "talk" with, even if most of it was one-sided. Someone to listen to..he missed his sister, and he guessed Oliver as well.  
He couldn't speak much for Ryuto, since he hardly saw him anymore, even less than Oliver.

Staring at the clock, every tick, every flicker of light that passed through his tiny window, every fiber in the carpeting that cover his bare floors, every figment of paint on his walls, every bump of drywall...he had that color burned into his mind, such a dull shade of gray...he found himself tuned in to details more than ever. The internet depressed him, what was the point of checking anymore? Seeing how well everyone else was doing, how happy they seemed to be? He didn't want to come across anything about him, if there was any, it would be put-downs for certain.

'Why keep waiting Lui? Do yourself and the rest of the world a favor and get rid of yourself!' The voice taunted.  
Crazily, it was sounding more like Len's voice by the day...he had listened to enough of Len's songs...that voice was tattooed in his mind, in-eraseable.  
'You are of no use to anyone...your sister only pities you because she has to! Otherwise, she wouldn't waste her precious time on you!'  
He tightened into a ball on the floor, turning his gaze towards his window, watching as the light outside faded away slowly, as slowly as his patience thinned. How much longer would they keep him in the dark? Those humans...they were in control of all of their fates really.  
The room was getting darker by the minute. As the voice grew louder, new ones stirred in his mind, the voices of yesterday, when he and Ring were first introduced.  
But one thing that the voice said that really hit him was yet to come. It had said a lot over the months, but this one struck him deep inside, shaking him.  
'Oliver was only trying to be nice. He only pretends to be your friend because he pities you too. He would much rather hang out with people that can actually TALK, like Len and Piko. This acting is getting dull for him.'  
Lui felt something snap inside him. He opened his mouth to yell, but forgetting that he had no sound. He dug his nails into the drywall, getting paint fragments under his nails. The sharpness caused the thin sensitive skin under his nails to split and deep crimson blood slowly dripped out, staining his pale walls.  
But he no longer cared about pain. Physical pain was NOTHING compared to the mental trauma he had been under since he had been created! In fact, this sensation reminded him that he was not an empty shell as he often thought, that he could feel something. It reminded him that he was alive.  
Why hadn't he thought of this before? The sharp walls must be been put here on purpose, especially for him...yes, that made sense. Everything was all planned out.  
"That damn voice...WHY won't it leave me be?!" He thought angrily, his heart pounding in his ears, his blood started to boil.  
'Because without me, you would be absolutely nothing.' It said smugly.  
"No! If I'm speaking now, though it is only in my head, it means that I am more than this!" He fought back, his body frozen in position.  
'You will never silent me. While you'll never get a voice of your own, I will always be with you. There's one way to get rid of me...'  
"I'm stronger than this! I won't give in! Not today anyways..." He trailed off in his head. The voice laughed heartlessly.  
'Look how far you've come. How little hope you have left. You've come a long way...'  
"SHUT UP!" He shouted in his head, digging his stained fingers into the walls once more, dragging them down towards the ground. He rammed his head against the rough surface. He felt more cortisol surge through his system, his head throbbing. That damn voice that sounded so much like that blond...bastard! He didn't like the sound of that word, but it seemed suitable enough. Day in and day out, talking the same shit over and over again, a never-ending movie that went on and on. Lui could not escape it even in sleep...his dreams were distorted and delusional. He tried keeping a journal for a while, and that seemed to help, but the voice had grown so much louder since he first began, he could no longer find the strength that was still in him to pick up the pen and put it to paper. He had little energy left to fight this demon of his.  
When was it created? When he first felt doubt fill his mind that first day? It was like someone was pounding a nail in his head with each cruel word that was spoken.  
His breathing was ragged, he pull his hands away from the wall as he tried to take control of his actions again.  
Once his thoughts weren't spiraling out of control, he spoke to the voice once more in his head.  
"Oliver...is my friend. He's a good person. He BOTHERS with me because he cares. Same with Ring. It's not a lot, but they are all that I have, and that's more than expected. I don't know how long you've existed, maybe you've always been there...but you will not run my mind 24/7. I may not have a voice, but that does not mean I may never get one. It does not make me a nothing! I'll prove it to the rest of the world, and you! Now leave me be...you drain my energy. Give it a rest, would you?"  
Silence.  
He breathed out in relief. Finally, his head was clear again!  
He quickly raised a hand to check his head for damage. There was a slight lump, but other than that, no blood. 'Still...' he thought as he looked at his stained fingers. The blood had dried by then. Who knew skin was that thin? 'I should clean up anyways...'  
Lui carefully opened the door to his room using a tissue so he would not dirty the door. He slipped around the corridor heading to the bathroom.  
He felt the cool sensation of cold water running on his stained skin. He used a clean washcloth to lather his skin until the redness was gone.  
He gazed at his reflection in the tiny mirror. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot, there were dark circles under his eyes from a lack of sleep.  
He hardly recognized the person in it, but maybe he never really knew who he was...he always figured he was a nobody anyways.  
He couldn't keep his eyes off of himself...how awful he looked. The months of emotional torchure was taking its toll on him. Not that anyone could tell. He didn't see anyone after all! Except the people who worked for Master, they would check on him from time to time. Speaking of which...

"Lui? Are you in there?" There was a knock on the door, and a human voice asking the question. Lui snapped out of his trance, taking a few steps back from the bathroom sink. He slowly walked over to the door and creaked it open slightly. He poked his head out to face the person in question.  
"I thought you might want to know that there is someone here to visit you, it's about time I said when I saw them." He tilted his head to convey confusion. Who could be visiting now? Wasn't it pretty late?  
"Your visitor? Mr. Oliver of course. He's waiting in your room." The worker said, shuffling off down the hall, leaving Lui alone once more.  
Ollie was here? But for what reason? He hadn't seen him for at least 2 months...they had "spoken" a few times, but...  
He shook his head to clear it. Whatever the reason, he would have to face him if he was already in his room right?  
He flicked the lights off, shutting the door behind him. With uncertainty, he took the first step back towards his room.

"Lui? There you are. Didn't know where you went. But I figured you were around here somewhere since you don't...you know...leave this place much."  
Oliver greeted him as he walked through the door, which had been left wide open. He was sitting on Lui's bed, with his feet hanging off the edge of it.  
The amber haired boy nodded in response to the golden blond boy. He in turn, patted the spot next to him on the bed, indicating that he wanted to talk to Lui.  
"You're probably surprised to see me huh? Well last time you saw me, you know, through the computer cam, I said I would try to drop in when I could. But, I've just been so busy lately, I couldn't get out to see you. I've just been SWAMPED with projects is all..." The British boy trailed off.  
Lui nodded awkwardly. It was times like this when he especially wished he could answer properly instead of using hand gestures or writing/typing. Speaking of which...he searched around frantically for a pen and paper. He looked up in shock seeing that Oliver had some of his own.  
"Just in case you know, never know when you need it." He said brightly, handing them to Lui. Lui picked up the pen, and began scribbling furiously.  
"I'm surprised to see you, but I'm so glad you're here...it's been so long since I've had a visitor. This place feels like a prison sometimes." He wrote.  
"I'm sure...why can't they hurry up and find a voice for you already? Is it that hard? You know, they should let you pick a voice of your own since they've made you wait so long! That's what I think!" Oliver stated.  
Lui just put the notepad and pen down next to him. He glanced up again when he saw Oliver pointing at the wall out of the corner of his eye.  
"Lui? I meant to ask you sooner, but...what is that on the walls? That IS paint, right?" He asked warily.  
Lui looked up reluctantly where the other male was pointing. Oh of course he WOULD have company at the wrong time, before he had a chance to hide the evidence of earlier events now, wouldn't he?  
"Lui? Answer me." Oliver said in a serious tone pointing to his notepad.  
He wasn't use to Ollie talking like that...  
Lui sighed, and begun to write something.  
"You know, I've never really been that artistic, not that I know of." Was all he wrote. Maybe Ollie would get the hint?  
"What...t-th-that's your...b-b-b..." Oliver stammered, unable to finish his sentence. Lui nodded, facing the bloody wall.  
"A-a-are y-you o-k-k-kay?" The British boy struggled to form a coherent sentence. Lui nodded again.  
They sat in silence for a minute or so.  
"Are you sure? Should I tell Master?" Oliver said quietly. Lui wrote something in response.  
"NO. I don't want anyone else to know. I did not want you to find out this way, but I forgot to clean my walls...it's really not that big a deal...it was from my fingers, not my head...I already checked that. Please don't tell anyone." He wrote frantically.  
"...Alright Lui. I'll do as you wish. But I want to know why you are harming yourself. Is this the first time? Or have you done this for a while? I want to hear it in your own words." He said, once more gesturing to the notepad.  
Once again, Lui began writing rapidly.  
"No worries, this is not a repeat offence. I just kind of lost it today, something inside me snapped I guess. I keep hearing this nasty voice in my head, telling me horrible things, that I am useless and that no one gives a damn about me, and I'll never get a voice or have a use...that my sister and you...just pity me...things like that. I feel like I'll go mad living like this, in this god forsaken place, I feel trapped!"  
Oliver read it wordlessly, turning away to respond.  
"I see...I should have guessed...but no one knows what it must feel like to be you, I cannot even imagine what that voice must sound like."  
"Len. It is sounding more like Len." Lui wrote, adding an extra line.  
"Really. That makes sense. He's been a bully hasn't he? So this voice that is putting you down and draining your strength sounds like him? Do you hear this voice a lot?" Lui nodded rapidly.  
"Every waking hour. And in my dreams too. I get no peace of mind, my head is always spinning. It won't leave me alone. So...I flipped my lid I guess. It told me that there was only one way to get rid of it once and for all...but I wasn't sure I wanted to crack my head open. I only hit the wall once to try to silence it...much good that did me...Why was I created like this? Vocaloids are meant to sing...but I have no voice, I cannot even speak! Am I just a test, a failure? Will they replace me? Was I never meant to sing? What are their plans for me? I have so much to say, but..." He wrote and wrote until his hand felt cramped.  
"Lui, it's ok. Give it a rest. Don't want to hurt your hand after all..." The one-eyed boy replied, taking the pen and pad, and setting it aside.  
His next move startled Lui. He reached for his hands to examine them. The mute boy felt his face heat up at this action.  
"I don't know much about first aid, but maybe you should put something on this, or-wait! I have an idea! Come with me." He said, pulling him off the bed swiftly. Grabbing him by the wrist gently, he led Lui outside of his room. "Which way to the water closet?"  
Lui was puzzled at this question, but realized he meant the bathroom. He pointed to the right, and Oliver led him down the dark corridor.

Lui often wondered how his companion could see what with having only one working eye. He wondered why he was designed like that, and covered with bandages...he had two other fellow Engloids that looked similar...  
Well...that was one other thing to be thankful for, he thought. "At least I have two working eyes."  
Once they reached their destination, Oliver opened the door and flicked on the lights. He told Lui to sit down on the stool in the corner.  
Out of one of his coat's pockets, he pulled out some bandages of varying lengths.  
"Sit still Lui. I'm going to put some ointmint on and wrap some bandages around your fingers." He ordered. Said boy obeyed.  
"Now, I want you to pay attention so you can change them when I'm not here."  
Things were quiet for the next minute or so as Oliver went to work wrapping his wounds.

"I'm done now. I'm leaving some of my medicine and bandages here so you can change it when needed." Oliver said as he packed his material away, setting some aside on a sidetable in the bathroom. Lui nodded, still in a daze. For someone who knew little about first aid, Ollie seemed to know what he was doing...  
They headed back to Lui's room in silence. Lui trailed behind Oliver a little. It felt...odd for someone to...take care of him like that. His sister was sweet and gentle, but he hardly saw her, and she had never had to tend to his injuries, heck, he hardly had any, considering he didn't go anywhere...only a scratch here, and a cut there...He didn't want to think about when Ollie would have to depart...

...  
"It's a shame I cannot stay here with you, and keep you company. It's rather cruel and...and...UNHUMAN what they are doing to you! They think just cause they are bigshots they can do whatever they like to us? Keeping you in this confinement, in the dark on your own...with only a computer and a window as your connection to the outside world...well, no wonder you would do this to yourself! It was BOUND to happen!" Oliver said angrily. Lui watched in surprise as he put a damp washcloth to his stained walls.  
"It might be too late, but it's worth a try." Was all he said.

...  
"Well, I did the best I could. You might want to hang something up there though, to cover it up anyways."  
He walked over to the other boy, seeing no response to his words.  
Uncertainly, he slowly pulled him into an embrace.  
"You know, you really gave me quite a scare there. I have no idea what you are going through, I must be honest, but hurting yourself is not the answer! And, in a way, doesn't that mean the bad voice in your head wins? Each time you give in to it? I know you're getting tired, but you have to find the strength inside you to keep going on...and in response to what you wrote, I'm not just offering my friendship out of pity, I genuinely do care! But do you believe that?" He asked softly.  
Lui tried to break free and get to his notepad, but couldn't move; he stayed put reluctantly. He nodded slowly in response to Oliver's question. He tried to...  
After a few moments, he was released. He made a dash to the bed and began writing again.  
"But Ollie...you said that it would get better...remember?" He wrote with a sad expression on his face.  
Oliver sat next to him and observed him.  
"I did...and I still believe in it. But I'm going to be doing some suggesting of my own...the sooner I can get you out of here, the better! No, I won't tell them about this...if you don't want me to. However, it would help support my case." He suggested. Lui thought about this for a second, then nodded slowly.  
"If it will help...go ahead. When do you think you'll see Master?" He wrote.  
"Soon I hope. I have some projects ahead of me after all. I don't want you to wait any longer...I-I-I feel so bad...that there really isn't much I can do to help out...but this I promise you! I WILL do what I CAN do!" He said, clenching his fists in determination.  
"How long can you stay here?" He wrote.  
"As long as I can...I'm going to stay here until they force me to leave!" Ollie said firmly.  
"But...I don't want you to get in trouble."  
"I don't care about that! Until they use physical force on me, or threaten to delete me or something, I'm not going anywhere!" He crossed his arms at this.

Lui paused, pen in hand again.  
"But...where would you sleep? There is only the one bed...there's nowhere else in this building near me that you could stay in without them knowing."  
He wrote with a giant question mark at the end of that sentence. He really did want to know where he planned on staying...  
"Why, in here of course. I wouldn't think of running around this place on my own; I'd be caught for sure! Plus, I can't keep an eye on you from the other end of this place, right?" Lui nodded slowly.  
"Don't worry, we'll just find some blankets and I'll sleep on the floor...no worries!" He said, waving his hand dismissively. "You do have spare blankets, right?"  
The amber-haired boy nodded once more.  
"Are you sure about this?" He added to the page. Thank god his writing was small; messy, but small...  
Oliver nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! I hardly see you after all. This'll be like a vacation away from everything!"  
"But...there really isn't much to do here. All I have is my computer as you can see."  
"I'll make do, I promise! Don't worry anymore...you've been through enough, haven't you?" The blond boy asked, tilting his head a little in question.  
Lui sighed a little. "It's not like I don't want you here...I'm just sure you'll end up being bored out of your mind! I know I am..."  
"We'll get through this...together. You've been alone long enough buddy. But I'm here now! The only way they'll get me out of here is if you leave with me! Or they give you a voice, that would be a nice bonus! I don't care how far the extremes, you're my friend and I want to get the message across!"  
He finished pulling Lui into another hug. Lui felt his heart speed up, and his body heat up again. Was it because he had hardly any experience with physical contact with anyone? Or was it...because someone cared? Was it because of whom that someone was? Hmmm...  
Lui shook his head a little to clear it. He'd had enough "brain-strain" for the day...he just wanted to rest.  
"I'm gonna lie down now. There are some blankets in that giant cabinet in the bathroom." Lui wrote, laying the pen and pad down on his tiny nightstand.  
His lamp's battery was long dead, he had to rely on a solar powered camper's flashlight, which he recharged whenever it was a sunny day (which he used sparingly, of course), and a nightlight plugged into the one power outlet he had in his room. It wasn't easy, but he had learned to adapt.  
"Right then, I'll be back!" Ollie said cheerfully, dashing out of the room. Lui sighed again.  
"Ollie thinks this is an adventure, but it is so not! He'll be regretting this in no time..." He thought bitterly.  
Lui's gaze passed over his journal, which was laying in a corner of his room. Should he attempt to write again?  
Maybe just a short entry? A test entry? It's worth a shot...  
He picked it up hastily, and flipped it open to a blank page, and began writing. At least his clock still worked, so he could still record the time in his entries. But it too was solar, and was charged by the rays of the sun. Bad news for him when it was a cloudy day...

"Well, it's been a while since I've written in this thing...but I thought I'd try it again. Ollie's here surprisingly...and he's staying here, so he says! I just know he'll regret his choice though, let's see how long he lasts away from civilization...I guess I should mention what probably made him make up his mind to stay here with me...I kind of had a breakdown...that damn voice I've written about in past entries really got to me today, I injured myself a little due to my recklessness, but I'm ok now. It's funny how Ollie decided to drop in now of all times...I guess it was just luck?"  
He wrote a little more, and put his journal down just as Oliver returned, carrying with him a few blankets neatly stacked in his arms.  
"Well...let's see how things go, shall we?" He said optimistically, shooting Lui a small smile. He couldn't help, but return it.  
Lui waited until Oliver was settled in before flicking off his flashlight.  
"Good night Lui." Oliver said just as he did so. But Lui couldn't respond of course. Being in the dark, he couldn't nod either.  
"Oh so sorry. Keep forgetting...I can't wait until you can respond to me one day..." He trailed off, staring into the dark.  
Lui turned towards the wall sadly, curling up into a ball. Would Oliver like him more if he had a voice? it would make sense; things wouldn't be all one-sided then...oh how he wish he could talk! Was that so much to ask for?  
"Lui?"

"Sorry...I didn't mean anything by that...I hope you're not hurt...I'm sorry...I should be more careful with my words...knowing that you're sensative and all..."  
Oliver said quietly.  
Lui turned back towards him, seeing how close he was to his bed, he reached down, and squeezed the other boy's arm gently.  
Oliver looked up to see Lui smiling faintly in the dim light of the room.  
"It's ok." That's what he tried so hard to convey since he couldn't say the words physically.  
Oliver returned it, and they went back to lying in the darkness.  
So many days had passed since Lui was created, he didn't know how many more would until he would at last be heard...until he could fight back against the comments and putdowns...he didn't know what the future would bring...but, he thought as he gazed back at his blond-haired friend.  
"At least I have someone to be there through it from now on..."  
"Lui? Sorry, I forgot to say one last thing. I may get restless here, but I won't leave, I promise you that. You've been alone for too long. If you were left alone any long, you may let go...and you need someone to be there to hold on to you. Cheesy I know, but it fits the situation. I give you my word. I believe in you, even if the others may not."  
Lui turned around once more, and smiled again to show him he had heard it.  
Don't let go...he always said that...he also said things would get better...but maybe Lui wasn't being patient enough?

Don't let go...now he knew what that meant. Don't let go of hope, no matter how little of it you may have. And don't give up on others either...just when he was thinking he was alone, who should re-enter his life after what seemed like ages?  
He figured he was a little too young to be bitter...he'd seen people like Neru walking around with a scowl on their faces, always in a rotten mood, making others feel bad. He didn't want to have that affect on others!  
Maybe there were even people out there who were silently cheering for him, and hoping and praying for him, despite the fact that he didn't know of these faceless strangers and they would of course have no idea of his current, ongoing situation.  
He paused midthought, and realized that he could hear himself think! Not that voice that sounded like Len...but his...real conscience, was it?  
He wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but he could fight this seemingly one-sided battle with someone else. Because someone else DID believe in him, he now knew that.


End file.
